Electrical coupling and switch.



R. H. WAPPLER.

ELECTRICAL COUPLING AND SWITCH.

,APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1910.

975,090. Patented Noms, 1910.

- non-conducting contacts pecially for UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

REINHOLD E. WAPPIJER, OIF-NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICANCYSTOSCOPE MAKERS, INC., OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL COUILING AND SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. s, 1910.

Application mea May 25,1910. serial No. 563,281.

To all whom 'Zt may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHOLD H. WAP- PLER, a citizenof the UnitedStates, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, andState of New York, have invented an Improved Electrical Coupling andSwitch, of which the following is a specification. t

My invention relates to a device comprising in one structure an electriccoupling and switch adapted for general use, but particularly adaptedfor use with electro-medical and electro-surgical appliances, with theobject of providing an insulating holder and an on ando switch withrubbing contacts and which switch can only be readily disconnected inone position of the parts.

In carrying out my invention, I provide two series of parts which areadapted to be brought together in axial alinernent and engagement; theone series of parts is adapted fer rotation with reference to' the otherseries.

The wires of an electric cable are adapted to be connectedto one seriesand the other series are arranged lf ory contact with other devices toform a coupling and switch; the other devices usually beingelectro-medical and electro-surgical appliances of'one form or another.

In connection with this structured pro` vide a spring nger extending outfrom one series of parts and adapted to contact electrically with theother series of-parts, land the part contacted with by this finger isprovided with oppositely'disposed non-electric contacts and with otheroppositely disposed conducting contacts circularly arranged so thatthere is a sliding contact with rotation of the parts between saidcontacts and the end of the said spring finger; one of said beingprepared esthe axial engagement of the parts, all of which ishereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of the device of my improvement andof about full size. Fig. 2 in enlarged size shows the same parts inA aposition at 'right angles to the arrangement in Fig. 1; the handle beingbroken off. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the same scale of theparts shown in Fig.

2, and at right angles to the position Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section at' the dotted line l the dotted line y, y, ofFig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan on the scale of Fig. l showing the connectedrelation of the parts of Fig. l with an implement engaged thereby, andFig. 7 illustrates by a plan another application of the devices of myinvention.

Similar letters or numerals of reference indicate the same parts.

The handle a is tubular, of insulating material such as hard rubber andis interiorly threaded at one end. A metal sleeve b has a threadedportion to screw into the end of the handle as shown in Fig. 3, and thissleeve is off-setl both internally and externally; the portion exposedto view being larger the threaded end received in the handle and theinternal diameter smaller still. This sleeve is longitudinally slitto'produce the spring inger'b1, the free end of which on the under sideis made rounded or with a rounded projection.l

than

c represents an insulating sleeve, or inv other words, a sleeve ofinsulating material parallel sided within and off-set exteriorly andthis fits snugly into and at one end extends beyond the end of thesleeveb, that is, the end that comes within the handle, while at theother end may or may not be Hush with the end of the sleeve b.

Within the sleeve c isa tubular conductor d entirely surrounded by thesleeve c and the end of this conductor which comes Within the handle ais brought together or collapsed from opposite sides as shown in Fig. 3,where the contact surfaces may preferably be solderedtogether.

e represents one end of an electric cable with two wires; one of thewires 2 being soldered to the closed end d1 of the tubular conductor d,while the other wire 3 is prolonged beyond the end of the wire 2 and isthe metal sleeve b,

soldered to the reduced end of the metal Asnugly or forcefully thatlthey do not require anyconnecting pins which might interfere with thefunctions of the parts.

Surrounding the metal sleeve b there is a splitspring ring f performinga function hereinafter described. f

The description so the two series of the connected parts.

far comprises one of The other series of parts comprise the olf-set stemlz, with its U-shaped contact h1 formed of metal.

A portion of this stem as shown 1n the drawing, is surrounded by anoE-setsleeve lc of insulating material and this in turnisv surrounded byan off-set metal sleeve i; the arts i and lc. being of the same length.vhe reduced portion of the metal sleeve z' is circumferentially groovedand passing through/the same is a plug Z of bone or similarnon-conducting material, and when A'as ' shaped contact h1. centers oftheplug Z and end i I provide' 'reduced end i is flattened by these artsare constructed I prefer to lacev the -p ug Z across the reduced end othe sleeve i and then bore through the plug a hole of suficient sizetoreceive the reduced end'of the o-set sleeve c ofinsulating ma,- terial,as it is essential that any conductivlty of the sleeve z' should bekeptaway from the conductivity of the olf-set stem hand its U- In the groove4 at the conical recesses '10. This off-set stem k is assed .centrallythrough the off-set sleeve E of insulating material.

, The groove 4 which extendsaround the .reducedI portion ofthe sleeve zis 'also formed Qn the surfaces ofthe plug Z and one face of thev plug Zand a portion of the producing a surface Z1 atthe left hand si e of Fi4, at which part the groove`4 is substantia ly cut away. I furtherprovide -a'contact sprin l (see particularly Figs; 1, 2 and 6) hel tbthe surface df the sleeve z', that is, the partV of greatestg diameter,by a screw,

- Thesev latter bart :form the second o the series of engaging parts. A

Figs. 1, 2 and -'showthe series of parts 'in their connected relation.in which lthe right hand end of the stem h has been passed into theopen outer end ofthe tubular conductord, at once establishing anelectr1c clrcuit from any part engaged b` the U-contact 11.1 lthroughthe stein la., tu ular conductor d, closed end dl--and the wire 2` ofthe cable e. This connection also brings f so -the spring finger b1intothe groove 4 in the surface of the reduced portion of the sleeve 2".-The parts are to be brought together by an axially sliding contactwhich brings the free end of the finger b1 against the Surface AVquarter revolutionA of either one of these parts with reference to theother, 4 the rounded end of the linger b1 into u'arter rotation bringsinitial .position of emplacement againstthe fiat end of the plug Z andin which position an axial movement will separate the series of the vtwoparts.

,In Fig. 6 I have shown a tubular body m with a ange l5 and twoinsulating -iianges 6 7. These parts are illustrative of the -relationof the device of my improvement for electrical contact with anothermember because the part Z1. as a U oryoke-member passes between theilanges 6 7 in contact with the rounded surface of the body between saidcontacts, while the free end of the contact Spring 1 comes againsttheouter surface of the metal ange 5, in which case the circuit from theother wire 3` of the cable is through the metalsleeve b and its springfinger b1, the metal sleeved and itsA contact spring'z'JL to the langeof the body.

The -function performed by the split spring ring f is a support to thespring nger 'b1 causing the same to keep its position and maintainitsspring function-to a more certain extent than would be possible inthe absence of the split spring ring f; also to prevent mis lacement anda possible bending back of the spring nger when the parts aredisconnected; furthermore to 'insure the closest stationary and rubbingcontacts betvreen the spring finger b1 and the groove 4 ofthe sleeve z',not only to insure the make and break of ,the circuit 0f my improved onandotf switch but serve to keep the contacts clean and bright l.andfully eliicient.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a part i2 as a head I prolonged'from the olf-setmetal sleeve z whichis also made 'as Ihereinbefore described withreference to thev plug, Z- and groove 4 foi' the'spring linger b1. Inthis figure I have shown a slender tubular member 8 with an electriclight 9 on the extremity thereof to be made incandescent in theelectromedical operation-of the device.

.While I have shown and described the structure and application of thecontact i springz'1 the same-is not an essential ele` ment of myinvention and may not be employed;v in some applications of the genericstructure of my invention.

' I clalm'as my invention: v

1. In an electric coupling and switch, two

`series of axiallyengaging parts capable of rotation of one series withreference to the [othdr serles, and means extending from one engagementand for rotation of oneseries with reference to the other series, andmeans extending from one series and connecting with a member of theother series, oppositely disposed 'non-conducting contacts and other"series and connecting with the other series oppositely disposedconducting contacts cirring cularly arranged and in theI rotarymovement` making and breaking the circuit thereof with a rubbingcontact.

3. In an electric coupling and switch and in combination, a handle ofinsulating material, a metal sleeve vadapted to be connected therewith,a springI finger formed Vfrom and as a prolongation of said sleeve, aninsulating llning to said sleeve and a tubular conductor' lining to theinsulating sleeve, a cable passing intof said handle, the one of itswires connected electrically and mechanically with .the tubularconductor and the otherd connected electrically and mechanically withthe metal sleeve, and a part' including a stem adapted for axialmechanical and electrical contact with the`aforesaid parts and forrotation in connection therewith, in Which the free end of the springfinger is adapted in the rotary movement of said part for making andbreaking the circuit withy a sliding or rubbing contact.

4. VIn an electric coupling and switch and in combination, a handle'ofinsulating material, a vmetal sleeve adapted to be connected therewith,a spring finger formed fromv and as a prolongation of said sleeve, aninsulating lining to said sleeve anda tubular conductor lining to theinsulating sleeve, a cab/le passing into said handle, the one of itswires connected electrically and mechanically With the tubular conductorand the other connected electrically and mechanically with the metalsleeve, a split spring surrounding said metal sleeve and its springlinger and a part including a stem axial mechanical and electricalcontact with the aforesaid parts rotation in connection therewith, inwhich the free endof the spring finger is adapted in the rotary movementof said part for y of insulating material parts and tting through saidparts and continued beyondl the same at'either end andv making Vandbreaking the circuit with a sliding or rubbing contact.

5. In an electric coupling and switch and 1 n V combination, an off-setsleeve provided Vwith a circumferential groove, a plug-pass ingdiametrically across through saidsleeve and the sleeve 1 and plug madetubular, an oH-set sleevev of insulating material passing through saidthe same snugly, a stem of metal passing contact, a tubular and for ,andmove through the same one of said ends provided with a U-shapedconductor adapted to receive said metal stem at its end opposite tothe'end having the U-shaped contact, a metal sleeve and spring fingeradapted at the freeend thereof for a rubbing contact inthe 'l groove oftheaforesaid olf-set metal sleeve,

an lnsulation between the tubular conductor' and the metal sleeve andthe Wires of a cable secured mechanically and'electrically to the saidtubular conductor and metal sleeve.

6. In anelectric coupling and switch and in combination, an off-setsleeve provided with a circumferential groove, a plug passingdiametrically across through said sleeve of insulating material and thesleeve and plug made tubular, an off-set sleeve of insulating materialpassing through said parts and fitting the same snugly, a stem of metalpassing through said parts and continued beyond the same, a tubularconductor adapted to receive said met-al stem at its end, a metal sleeveand spring inger adapted at the free end thereof for a rubbin contact inthe groove of the aforesaid o -set metal sleeve, an insulation betweenthe tubular conductor and the metal sleeve and the Wires of a cablesecured mechanically and electrically to the said tubular conductor andmetal sleeve. l

7. In a coupling and switch for electromedical and electro-surgicalappliances, two series of engaging parts adapted for axial engagementand for rotation of one series with reference to the other series, acircular member associated with one of said series, an insulating plugpassing diametrlcally across through the circular member and said partsprovided with a circularly arranged circumferential groove andoppositely disposed central recesses in'line wlth said groove, and aspringI finger associated with the other series of parts and having afree end adapted to engage said groove witha rubbing contact and to stopin and engage the said recesses in making and breaking the circuit.Signed by me this 17th day of May '1910.

REINHOLD H. WAPPLER.

Witnesses G Eo. T. PINCKNEY, E. JZACHARIASEN.

